Unrecognisable
by Acexx
Summary: New friends appear as old foes return, but can Harry really trust those who have stayed by his side? It's true what they say, some things are best forgotten. Sequel to In My Memories (I See You)
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer – I do not own Harry Potter**_

* * *

Draco Malfoy sits in the music room of his manor, playing the piano. It's the last day of summer holidays before his fifth year at Hogwarts begins. It's sure to be an interesting year, now that he and Potter are getting along. They've kept in touch over the holidays, writing at least once a week. Interestingly, Cedric has kept in touch with both of them as well. Draco's Father has questioned him on the sudden influx of letters, but because Draco has managed to keep what happened quiet from him, he has simply pointed out that his Father is the one who said it was not beneficial to be so vocally against Potter when he's such a powerful figure.

Draco is thinking on all of this as he plays, only to be interrupted by a black smoke coming in through the open window and immediately shooting into his eyes. He accidentally bashes on the wrong keys as he jerks.

"Draco, are you all right?" Lucius asks as he enters the music room, responding to the abrupt clash of notes.

"Yes Father, I merely made a mistake." Lucius frowns at his Son's slightly eerie voice, then nods and walks out. Internally, Draco panics.

 _No, please no._ His body chuckles and he hears his own voice, feels himself speak.

"Oh yes. A mistake was made. One that will cost dearly."

 _It won't work, Harry will stop you, you Bastard!_ He feels himself smirk.

"I think you mean, 'My Lord'."

* * *

Harry jerks upright in his bed, a horrible nightmare leaving him breathing heavily. As he calms he tries to recall his dream, and the strangest thing happens.

He can't.

* * *

 **NOTE:**

Well, this is the beginning of the last part to the Uncle Moony story. I hope you all like this little beginning, let me know what you think 😊

As with In My Memories (I See You) updates will be a bit sporadic because I haven't finished writing the story, but they should never be more than a few days apart.

Oh and, out of curiosity, would anyone be interested in me posting the original one-shot of Uncle Moony that I wrote? It's different from the first one I put up because I changed that one in order to leave room for a story to grow from it. Let me know!


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter**_

* * *

"So…Padfoot…" Harry begins at breakfast the day before school comes back.

Sirius looks up in amusement, "Yes, Harry?"

"I erm…well…" Harry trails off awkwardly, Sirius opens his mouth to speak just as they hear giggling. The two look over to see Remus and Tonks entering the room.

"I don't want to know what has you two in such a good mood," Sirius declares, screwing up his face, Remus flushes, clearing his throat.

"What do you mean?" Harry asks Sirius.

"He's suggesting we had sex," Tonks replies easily.

"What's that?" The three adults exchange looks, "What?" Harry asks in confusion.

"Should have seen that coming," Sirius comments, "Harry, have you ever wondered where babies come from?"

Harry's not sure he likes where this is going.

* * *

"…that is the grossest thing I've ever heard," Harry says, looking at the diagram before him, Tonks rolls her eyes.

"That's because they're telling it wrong."

"He doesn't need to know all about… _that_. He's a guy," Sirius points out.

"And when his future girlfriend is dealing with it?"

"You're trying to reason with the wrong man about this," Remus tells his partner, Tonks sighs.

"All right Harry, now, the first thing your idiot Uncle here forgot to mention, is that, while it hurts, it's _not_ an injury…"

* * *

"…and that's how babies are made," Remus concludes. Harry frowns.

"So if you two had sex, does that mean you two are having a baby now?"

"No no no no no no no no no no," Remus starts saying quickly as Sirius snickers.

"There's this thing called contraception," Tonks begins explaining.

"And it's important you always use it until you are _sure_ you want to have a child," Sirius adds, "Remus, breathe, she's _not_ pregnant." Harry and Tonks look over to see a rather pale Remus. Tonks chuckles and shakes her head at him.

"So what's contreption?"

"Con _tracep_ tion," Sirius corrects, "It…"

* * *

Harry nods slowly, then he frowns, "Do guys have sex when they date?"

"I think this is your forte," Tonks tells Sirius who grins.

"Right, so…"

* * *

"Any questions?" Remus asks Harry once Sirius _finally_ stops talking about the intricacies of gay sex.

"Erm…what happens if you have feelings for two people…?" Harry asks hesitantly, Sirius looks intrigued.

"Well I suppose that depends on how those two people feel about you."

"I don't know."

"How do you feel about them?" Remus asks, "Is it romantic, friendship, purely physical attraction?"

"I don't know. I've never really thought about any of this. But…well there's this mirror in Hogwarts," Harry begins explaining, "It shows your heart's desire."

"And you saw these two people in it?" Sirius asks.

"Sort of. I mean, yes. But, well, years ago when I first saw it, I saw Mum and Dad and some other people that I think must be ancestors or something. When I look in more recently, I saw you three, and Mum and Dad, and the others too. It was just that these two people were up the front with me and…" Harry trails off, flushing.

"And?" Sirius prompts, beaming at the thought of Harry seeing him in the mirror.

"They were holding my hands."

"Awwwwww," Tonks coos, Harry glares at her, she grins.

"Generally speaking, Harry, a relationship is only between two people. Now, under certain circumstances, sometimes that isn't the case. But it's tricky and people can get very hurt," Sirius tells Harry who nods.

"So I have to choose? That's even assuming they have feelings for me too," Harry asks, muttering the last part.

"Can we ask who these two people are?" Remus asks, trying to sound casual.

Harry flushes and looks down, "Erm, Ginny and Draco."

Remus nods, "Yes, I had a feeling it might be them."

"Malfoy as in the boy who's been harassing you for four years?" Sirius asks, concern in his voice.

"He's not like that anymore!" Harry instantly defends, "I mean he is a bit, but that's just him. He's not actively trying to be a dick anymore."

"Not to you," Sirius says, "But how is he treating other people?"

"He saved Cedric and they've kept in touch. If a Hufflepuff can get along with him he can't be that bad," Harry reasons, Tonks huffs, Remus laughs, Sirius continues looking concerned.

"What does Hermione think about you two getting along?"

Harry sighs, "She doesn't like it, but she won't even give him a chance. I mean, I understand why, but he hasn't done anything since I first went to him for help."

"Didn't you go to him because of his more Slytherin nature?"

"So what? Tonks' mother is a Slytherin. She's okay."

"She hasn't spent the last four years bullying people."

"People can change Uncle Padfoot!"

Sirius sighs, "I know that Harry. I just don't want to see you get hurt."

Harry scowls at his Uncle, "I can look after myself. I've had to. You know, coz you ran off and abandoned me," He snaps before getting up and storming out of the room.

"…um…" Sirius comments awkwardly into the quiet that descends over the room following the teenager's departure.

"I'll talk to him when he calms down, he's already had his screaming match with me about not being there for him," Remus tells him.

"He did?"

"Yeah, after he found out…erm…about that little furry problem."

Tonks looks at him in confusion, "Little furry problem?"

"Nothing, don't worry about it."

"Right well, I'd better head back to the Grangers," Sirius says.

Remus frowns, "How's it looking?"

Sirius sighs, rubbing at his forehead, "Not good. Really very not good."


	3. Chapter 3

_**Disclaimer – I do not own Harry Potter**_

* * *

Harry and Ron stand on Platform 9 and ¾, looking around for Hermione. Her Mum's been sick all summer, so she hadn't stayed at Harry's before school started up again but had promised to meet them before getting on the train. Only she's not here.

"We don't have much time left, where _is_ she?" Harry asks.

Ron shrugs carelessly, but the look on his face is anything but, "Wasn't Padfoot spending a lot of time there? Did he mention anything?"

"We aren't exactly talking at the moment." Suddenly, someone walks into Harry and he falls to the ground.

"Harry?" Ron calls, moving to help him up as Harry rubs at his head. He looks over to see a girl sprawled on the ground. Harry moves to help her up, recognising her as a Gryffindor in his year, though he can't for the life of him remember her name.

"Erm, hi. Are you all right?" He asks awkwardly, the girl frowns at him. Then she makes an odd motion with her left hand.

"What the hell is that?" Ron asks, Harry chuckles.

"Sign language. Don't worry, I know this," Harry tells him before signing his earlier question to the girl.

" **I'm fine, thanks. Sorry about that. You speak sign language?"** The girl asks, Harry raises an eyebrow.

" **I think that's obvious, don't you?"** The girl narrows her eyes at Harry who grins, she does too, though it looks like it's against her better judgement, **"What's your name?"**

" **Lily,"** she replies, **"Lily Moon."** Harry's eyes widen slightly, then he smiles carefully, nodding.

" **Nice to meet you, I'm Harry, Harry Potter."** She quirks her eyebrow at him.

" **I think that's rather obvious, don't you?"** Harry bursts out laughing, nodding. Lily chuckles too.

"What's going on?" Ron asks, Harry calms.

"Oh, right. Ron, this is Lily, **Lily, this is Ron.** " Lily waves at Ron who awkwardly waves back. Then Ginny jogs over.

"Train's leaving soon, boys," She reminds them, Harry smiles at her.

"H-Hey Ginny." Ginny looks at him in confusion.

"Hi?" Harry flushes slightly, internally cursing himself. Lily looks between Ginny and Harry for a moment before snickering. Harry glares at her.

" **Shut up."** She grins and shakes her head, "How are you Ginny? Get Percy's old broom like you wanted?" Ginny smiles and nods.

"When did I even mention that to you? I was kidnapped most of last year."

"Before school began. Not important." Ron looks between his best mate and sister before shrugging.

"Gin, have you seen Hermione?"

"No, isn't she with Harry?"

"If she were with Harry we wouldn't be asking for your help."

"All right, no need to be rude, Ronald." Lily nudges Harry, raising a confused eyebrow. He sums up the conversation in sign language for her, then,

" **Do you want to sit with us on the train?"** Lily nods, Harry grins.

"Great, come on then. We'll just have to hope Hermione finds us on the train. You sitting with us Ginny?" Ginny nods, linking an arm with Harry. Ron grumbles as they get on the train. Just before stepping on, Harry meets the gaze of Draco, stepping on further down the train. He smiles and waves at him, Draco copies both movements.

Harry can't help but think he's meant to be noticing something here. But nothing seems off.

"You can speak that weird sign thingo, right?" Ginny asks Harry, Harry nods.

"Yeah, I had a friend in primary school who was deaf, he taught me." Ginny nods.

"Can you ask her how her date went last year? I'm sure Lavender mentioned helping her with her hair. I'm still catching up on the gossip I missed," Ginny tells him, he translates it all to Lily who beams.

"She says it went really well, she and Luna spent most of it talking about obscure books they've read. They've been officially dating since just after Christmas last year," Harry tells Ginny who smiles, Ron looks confused.

"She's dating _Luna_?" Ron asks.

Harry nods, "Apparently. Why, who's Luna?"

"Well, a girl, obviously."

Harry raises an eyebrow at him, "Got something against that?"

Ron cringes slightly, shaking his head, "No, no of course not. Personal choice and all that."

"… _but_?" Harry asks, looking at him expectantly.

"Well it's just a bit weird, isn't it?"

"Uncle Padfoot's gay." Ron's eyes widen almost comically.

"So's Dumbledore," Ginny adds, Ron's jaw drops.

Then he clears his throat, "I don't care about it, all right? It's just not something I'm used to seeing."

"Going to have to get over that now that Lily's our friend."

Ron sighs, nodding, "I know, and I will. I'm not trying to be a dick." Harry frowns, but nods, "Hold on, since when is Lily _our_ friend? I can't even speak to her!"

"You can write, or I can translate, or you could learn some basic signs."

Ron huffs slightly, "How do I sign my name?" He asks in a resigned voice, Harry grins at him, Ron thinks that must make it worth it. Even two years into having his Uncles back, it's still far too rare to see Harry so happy.

* * *

When they get into Hogwarts, they find Hermione already sitting at the Gryffindor table. The group moves over to sit around her, Ron taking the spot beside her, Lily beside him. Harry sits across from the three with Ginny on his right and Dean on his left.

"Hermione? What's going on? Where were you?" Harry asks her in concern, Hermione looks up at him, a strange and disconcerting deadness to her eyes.

"That amazing memory of yours," Hermione begins, almost too quietly to be heard, voice slightly nasal and nose sniffly, "Do you remember the night your parents died?" Harry can feel the eyes of everyone who heard her move to him and he freezes slightly. Ginny grabs his knee under the table and squeezes comfortingly, he smiles slightly at her before turning back to Hermione.

"I do," He admits, "But you can't tell Uncle Moony or Uncle Padfoot that." She nods, "Why do you ask?"

"Mum caught some stomach bug a week ago." Harry frowns in concern, she shrugs, "I guess that, on top of the double pneumonia, was just too much for her."

"Oh no…" Harry comments quietly, Ron puts an arm around Hermione, Harry grabbing her hands on top of the table as tears stream down her face.

"When did it happen?" Ginny asks her. Harry notices the confused look on Lily's face and retrieves one of his hands from Hermione's in order to sign to her. She nods as a sad look comes over her face.

"Yesterday. I'm sorry I wasn't on the train I just…I didn't want to leave Dad until I had to so Professor Moony said I could come in with him." Harry nods, squeezing her hand, unsurprised that his Uncle had known. Sirius probably did too, given how close he is with Hermione's parents.

"How's your Dad doing?" Harry asks, translating Lily's question.

"As well as can be expected. He's been more worried about me than anything. I'm scared he won't cope as well without me to look after, but Padfoot's looking after him. There's going to be a funeral in a few days, you and Ron's family are invited of course. Dumbledore's already given us permission to go."

"We'll be there," Harry tells her.

"'Course we will," Ron adds.

"Whatever you need," Ginny finishes. Hermione smiles gratefully, nodding. Harry sees waving and looks up to see Draco trying to get his attention without being obnoxiously loud, Harry raises an eyebrow at him, he points behind Harry. Harry turns to see Cedric looking at him. Cedric points to Hermione and raises a concerned eyebrow in question. Harry turns back to Draco, miming a pen writing. Draco gets parchment and a pen from people around him and looks at Harry who mouths 'Mum died'. Draco writes it, turning it into a paper plane and sending it across the hall. Cedric receives it, face drooping as he writes a quick reply and throws it to Harry. Harry reads it, then looks up to find his friends looking at him disapprovingly. Neither of them approve of his friendship with Draco under the best of circumstances. He looks sheepish.

"Cedric sends his condolences."

Ron rolls his eyes.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Disclaimer – I do not own Harry Potter**_

* * *

"Harry," Remus calls, "Could you wait back a moment?" Harry nods, walking over. Remus waits until the whole class has left before smiling gently at his nephew, "I wanted to talk to you about your argument with Padfoot."

"Moony," Harry whinges.

"I don't want to get involved with it. You and Sirius need to sort it out together. What I _do_ want to do, is ask why exactly Draco has suddenly become so important to you that you bring something up with Padfoot that you've been avoiding for a year and a half."

Harry frowns, "I know I shouldn't have thrown it in his face like that I just…he doesn't even _know_ him. I understand why everyone is so wary, I still don't even understand where all this change came from, but it's there. How is he supposed to have a hope of personal growth if no one will give him a damn chance?"

"You make a very good point. Why is it bothering you so much, though?"

Harry frowns, leaning against his Uncle's table, "If no one gave Padfoot a chance to be different back in school, where would we all be now? He's so worked up about it because he sees his family in Draco and Mr Malfoy. Why can't he accept that he's not the only one capable of being different then their family?"

Remus nods slowly, "Mmhmm, and what's the _real_ reason?"

Harry sighs, "Prior to asking for his help I really didn't like him, as I'm you are well aware," Remus chuckles at the understatement of the blasted century, "All it took was one moment of me not treating him like a dick, and he did his best to help me. He…he said more to me than giving me a suggestion like I asked for. He didn't have to do that. He also didn't have to go one step further and put himself in harms way by going into that maze with me. Then he stepped in front of the killing curse to save Cedric, and stood up to Voldemort, even after his Father's old loyalty to the man was mentioned. I was a dick to him for five years as well, you know? It took less than a minute for him to decide to help me, and he proved I could trust him to have my back. I gave him a chance to."

"And…?" Remus asks, privately thinking that this is like pulling teeth and Harry hasn't been this obstinate about sharing his feelings in quite some time.

"And he doesn't trust me!"

"Draco?"

"No! Padfoot!" Remus frowns, "He doesn't trust my judgement. I've been looking out for myself for a long time Uncle Moony. Why won't he trust me?"

Remus nods, coming to lean against one of the students desks to be in front of Harry, "Prongslet, when we were in school, your Mother was close friends with Severus Snape for many years."

Harry nods, "I know."

"I don't think it's his family that Padfoot sees in Draco, I think it's Severus. It's not often I'll draw comparisons between you and your parents because you are your own person, but if there is one thing you have in common with your mother, it's your unending compassion. It's that that left her so blind to what Snape was becoming. Sirius is worried that Draco will hurt you like Severus hurt your mother."

 _Harry's crying, it's all he can hear. There was a scary man and a big light and then his Mummy went to sleep. Why is she taking a nap on the floor? Why isn't she coming to him? She always comes when Harry cries. Where is Daddy? Why isn't he coming to give Harry the cuddles he needs? Harry is scared. He sees another man come into the room and rush over to his Mummy. The man is crying too. He's hugging Mummy. He looks over to Harry, he looks angry, even angrier than Daddy looked when Harry was grumpy and snapped his toy broom over Daddy's shoulders. Harry was sorry and now he knows not to hit people, but Harry doesn't think this man will be happy again if Harry is sorry._

" _You Potters were always going to be the death of her."_

 _Harry doesn't know what death means, but it doesn't sound good._

"Harry?" Harry's eyes snap to his Uncles, Remus frowns, "What did you remember?"

Harry hesitates, "Nothing. I was just thinking I should apologise to Padfoot next time I see him. Thanks Uncle Moony," Harry tells his Uncle before leaving he room.

Remus looks unimpressed, quietly wondering why he even bothers trying to lie when he's so bad at it.

* * *

" **I know he doesn't know me, but give Mr Granger my condolences, please,"** Lily requests the day the group leaves for the funeral. All of them but Hermione and Harry will be returning shortly after the service, those two are not coming back until tomorrow. Harry nods.

" **I will** ," He both says and signs.

"Why is Moon-girl hanging out with us now?" Hermione asks Ron as they stand at the entrance of the castle, waiting on Remus.

"Harry declared she's our friend. Now she's our friend." Hermione nods in understanding. Harry's compassion for people tended to catch. Unless that person is Malfoy, then his stupidity refuses to infect his friends. As is typical in their lives, that's when the little blonde twat walks over.

"Granger!" Draco calls as he comes over, Ron crosses his arms and glares menacingly, but Draco ignores it, "I asked McGonagall, she said that Muggle customs have people leave flowers on grave stones. I put a stasis charm on this one so that it won't die," He tells her, handing over a carnation, "Apparently white carnations mean remembrance." Hermione feels tears spill over her eyes before she suddenly throws herself at Draco and hugs him. He hesitates for a moment before hugging her back, wary of the look Ron sends him over Hermione's shoulder.

 _Why did you let me do that?_ Draco asks in his mind, Voldemort internally chuckles delightedly.

 _Because your winning her favour works into my plan perfectly. And it is a far more fitting punishment if it is truly your own actions that lead to their downfall._

Draco wishes he could scream.

Ron observes the interaction between Hermione and Draco with furrowed brows. Something is off, _very_ off. Even the 'new Draco' Harry keeps swearing exists would never behave like this. A look at Harry shows him clearly thinking butter wouldn't melt in Malfoy's mouth right now, Ron sets his jaw in annoyance as he glares at Malfoy some more, attempting to puzzle out his ploy in his head.

A hand tugs on his arm, he looks over to see Lily giving the two a suspicious look before raising an eyebrow at Ron who nods.

Very very off, indeed.

* * *

"Jean Granger was an amazing woman, an amazing Mother, and one of my best friends," Sirius begins. He had been very shocked when Hugo requested he give a eulogy, but since they don't have a lot of friends, the two were close, and Sirius had helped so much while she was sick, it had been fitting, so he agreed, "She had a way about her that made everyone feel like part of the strength she had was helping hold them up too. She was funny, and kind, and more compassionate than I can put into words. She helped me learn to deal with a rather traumatising event that occurred just before we met, and it was with her guidance that I learnt to be the functioning person I am today. I owe a lot to Jeanie, but it was never about that to her. She just wanted to help people, and she did. In the end she had one request, and that was that we not remain sad in her absence, that we remember the good times and continue having more. She will never be forgotten, the mark she has made on our lives will forever be present and helping to guide us through the hard times. She lives on in each and every one of us, so we owe it to her to grant her final wish and live our lives. Not in mourning, but comforted in the knowledge that we will see her again. After all, the ones who love us never truly leave us. They are always with us, in here," Sirius tells them all, putting a hand to his chest, "Thank you."

Hermione steps forward as Sirius stands to the side. She gently places the flower Draco had given her on the ground before the grave stone.

"Goodbye Mum. I promise, you will always be remembered."

* * *

In some far off place, James Potter looks down at the ceremony.

"Are you crying, Dear?" James turns to see his wife, Lily, behind him.

"Did you just ask if I'm a crying deer?" Lily rolls her eyes.

"I found someone." Lily gestures for someone to walk over, and James recognises Jean Granger instantly.

"What is this place?" Jean wonders, then looks down and sees the ceremony breaking up, understanding fills her face as she drops to her knees, reaching for her daughter.

"She won't feel you. Trust me, we try with Harry all the time," Lily tells him.

"You're Lily and James?" James looks mildly surprised, "Harry and Sirius have told me about you." James smiles.

"Thank you for looking after him."

"Harry? I didn't do mu-"

"No, not him. Although, him too. But no, he has plenty of people who do that, thank Merlin. No, I mean Padfoot. He never seems to realise how much he needs someone. I watched him suffer in Azkaban, unable to help in anyway. You helped him. Thank you." Jean smiles, nodding.

"He's my best mate, what else could I have done?" James smiles, nodding. He sits beside Jean as they both watch over a group filled with people they both care about. Lily sits down as well.

"We love you all," She tells them.

To their great surprise, Hermione looks up.

"Hermione?" Ron asks in concern, Hermione frowns.

"I thought I…never mind," She tells them as she moves to catch up.

"She heard us!" Jean states.

"Forget that, we've more important things to worry about." The three on the 'floor' look up to find a man standing, leaning against a 'wall'.

"Who are you?"

"That's Regulus Black," Lily explains.

"Sirius' little brother?" Regulus seems mildly surprised that Sirius has spoken about him, but nods, "What could be more important than the possibility of communicating with my daughter?" Regulus waves a hand, and the scene they are looking down upon changes to the Slytherin common room where a seemingly ordinary boy is reading a book about advanced transfiguration techniques.

"Him."


	5. Chapter 5

_**Disclaimer – I do not own Harry Potter**_

* * *

Within a month, Voldemort is beginning to think he's made a mistake here. The enchantment he's put around himself to ensure Potter does not sense him seems to be weakening. The ghosts are watching him far too warily, and Dumbledore is regarding him with a thoughtful eye that has this body snarling at him before Voldemort can stop it.

Most maddeningly of all is that Moon and the Weasel. He's dealt with a Moon and a redhead intervening in his plans before. It may be harder to completely isolate this moon as he did the other, but he can certainly slaughter the redhead before he abandons this body.

Voldemort thinks Draco killing Potter's dearest friend is certainly a fitting punishment for his betrayal. Potter will never forgive him for that. He'll do it in the Great Hall, everyone will see it, and there will be nothing any of them can do.

Not even Dumbledore can prevent this, and with Ginevra and Black's assurances that Voldemort is dead, well, what defence could Draco possibly use?

Voldemort laughs.

* * *

"You want to talk about it?"

Ginny looks up from the window she is sitting and looking out of to see Remus walk into the room, she sighs, "Not particularly."

Remus frowns, coming to sit next to her.

"Your presence in my office would seem to indicate otherwise." She just curls her arms around her legs tighter, "There's a fair bit of missing time between when you were taken out of the trunk and when you were thrown into the cellar." Ginny scratches at her hand, "Harry told us about the diary, about you looking into Voldemort's mind." She looks up in alarm, "We needed to know what he wanted with you."

Ginny hesitates for a long moment before she nods, "I didn't know who he was."

"Of course you didn't. You were eleven and he lied to yo-"

"No, not then. When I saw him earlier this year. I didn't know who he was. I looked into his eyes and there was nothing inside them, no soul, no person, just an empty pit of evil." Remus frowns, nodding, "He wasn't always like that."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, the piece of his soul in the diary was made in Tom's sixth year at Hogwarts. He was messed up and a bad guy, maybe even evil, but he wasn't _that_. There was more to him, there was a person." Ginny sniffles slightly, wiping at her eyes.

Remus clears his throat awkwardly, "You cared for him, didn't you?" Ginny freezes, Remus nods, "He lied to you, made you think he was your friend, of course you cared."

"It wasn't like that."

"Ginn-"

"No really. It wasn't the diary I cared for." Ginny's eyes widen as she realises what she said.

Remus gapes slightly, "You mean to tell me that when you looked into the mind of Lord Voldemort, you grew _fond_ of him?"

"No. I looked past Voldemort in his mind and grew fond of the boy who, at the time, still existed. I saw his memories, I saw his life. You can't know that much about a person and not care for them."

"That's why it was hard for you. You saw the thing he became and the boy just wasn't there?" Ginny nods, Remus sighs, putting a hand over hers, "Ginny I need you to listen to me, because this is very important."

"Okay?"

"You need to forget that boy."

"Wha-Remus!"

"Ginny, he knows now. He knows you know him, do you think he won't use that against you if he can?"

"You think he'll convince me not to stop him if the opportunity arises?" Ginny asks, outraged, "I'm the one who killed him before! _I'm_ the one who cast the killing curse on that _mutated thing_." Remus looks at her in shock, then in confusion.

"If you did, then why was Wormtail the one that was killed?"

Ginny internally panics. He can't know Peter is still alive, Merlin knows what he would do after everything. But if she's going to lie, it has to explain why Padfoot would have lied too. And it has to explain why she's hesitating so long here. Ginny's gaze darkens as she looks away.

"He tortured me Remus," She says quietly, Remus continues looking at her in confusion, "He tortured me. What was I supposed to do when he gave me his wand and told me to kill them both?"

"…Ginny…" Remus trails off, unsure what he can say to that. In her position, he'd have done exactly the same thing. Even if Peter _hadn't_ just recently been torturing him, "We can't let anyone find out."

"What? …You aren't going to tell anyone?"

"They are called Unforgivables for a reason. If anyone were to find out, that's a life sentence in Azkaban."

Ginny nods, "I know, that's why Padfoot and I didn't say anything to begin with."

"We need to prepare for the possibility that Voldemort will try and use this…"

Neither notice the stuttering breath by the door. If they had, they'd likely have seen the horrified look on the face of a boy they both care for deeply.

Harry knows better than most how unforgivable that curse really is.

* * *

Harry rushes away from his Uncle's office. He starts running and doesn't stop until he's at the exact spot he first saw Voldemort in his first year, drinking Unicorn blood. The entire area still makes his scar burn from the one who gave it to him committing such a heinous act. He drops to the ground, unable to keep from sobbing. He sobs so long and hard his chest starts hurting. He puts a hand over his heart, clutching as though to grab at it and squeeze it harder, make it stop.

 _How could she do this?_ He wonders as he struggles to breath, sobs being wrenched from deep within him, _How could anyone?_

"Harry?" A concerned voice calls, he hears footsteps rushing over and then sees Draco as he kneels in front of him, "I saw you rush out here, what's going on?" Harry can't speak, "Okay, take some breaths, all right? Calm and slow." But it's just like what his Uncle Moony tells him to do when he's angry and Harry can't think about that right now, can't think about him. Not when everything hurts and his scar is burning even more than before. Suddenly some leaf is being shoved into his mouth and he coughs. He tries to spit it out but a hand over his mouth stops him and he accidentally swallows it. Instantly he breathes easier, calming down.

"Wha…?"

"Main ingredient in a calming drought," Draco explains, "It pays to pay attention in Potions you know." Harry tries to chuckle, but it comes out more as a broken sob, "What happened?"

"Did you know that the killing curse isn't painless?" Draco shakes his head, "It doesn't kill you in any kind of humane way. It burns. It burns as it sweeps through you and consumes your whole body. For most people it's excruciating but so near instantaneous I imagine many wouldn't even register it. But I am The Boy Who Lived, and I felt it burn." Harry shakes his head, "How could anyone do that to someone?"

"I don't know, Harry. It's called an Unforgivable because it cannot be forgiven. Only the truly evil are even capable of casting those curses. You have to really want it, and to feel that you have to lack a conscience, almost completely." Harry feels so lost. That doesn't sound like Ginny at all, but then, he never would have thought her capable of such an act anyway. Is he missing something? Is Ginny as evil as the man she killed? Did something from her time in his mind break her own?

"I don't know what to do Draco. So much has happened and I don't even know who to trust anymore. My Uncles kept something horrible from me, Hermione's dealing with her Mother's death, Ron won't even give you a chance, and Ginny…" Harry hesitates, surely he should tell someone, shouldn't he? She's a murderer, potentially one without a conscience, only he can't, he knows he can't, "Ginny kept something from me too."

Now he's as bad as Padfoot and Moony.

What have they all come to?

"You can trust me, Harry." Harry looks up at Draco. Not so long ago he would have scoffed at the very idea.

"I don't know what I would do without you, right now."

Draco screams internally, Voldemort chuckles.

 _Perhaps there is still use for this body after all._


	6. Chapter 6

_**Disclaimer – I do not own Harry Potter**_

* * *

" _Marlene, we need to talk."_

" _That's never a good thing to hear from your boyfriend. Is this about Remus' commentating? Because I did punch him for it."_

" _What? No, of course not. He's not wrong, you do look amazing in that uniform."_

" _Then what's this about?"_

"…"

"…"

" _I'm gay…"_

"… _Oh."_

Sirius snaps out of the daydream as he hears the floo followed by footsteps and then a door upstairs slamming. He looks up in concern just as the door to the kitchen opens and Remus and Hermione walk in.

"Everything okay?" Sirius asks.

Remus sighs, rubbing a hand over his tired face, "Harry's not exactly feeling the spirit of Christmas this year."

"Still angry then?" Sirius questions with a frown.

"Not just at you anymore. He won't willingly speak to anyone except Lily, Cedric, Cho, and Draco," Hermione tells him.

"Lily?"

"A friend of ours from school. Anyway, Harry wasn't even going to come home for Christmas until I…well it was a bit unethical, but I convinced him to," She says. Sirius looks questioningly at her before deciding it's probably best for his blood pressure if she not elaborate.

"Right, well. I will go and talk to him. Your Dad's just gone out shopping. He should be back soon," Sirius tells Hermione who nods. He shares a concerned look with Remus before heading up to his God-son's room.

* * *

Sirius doesn't find Harry in his room, he finds him in the library.

"Prongslet?" Sirius asks.

Harry looks up. He doesn't exactly look happy to see his Uncle, "Padfoot."

"…doing school work?" Sirius questions, taking in the books around his God-Son.

Harry shakes his head, looking back to his book, "Research."

"Into what?" Harry grabs the book beside him, one he's not reading, and chucks it at Sirius who only just manages to catch it. He frowns in concern as he reads the title, "Curses that Kill? Harry, what could you possibly want with this?"

"I looked into it at school. Every book I've read suggests there are consequences to people's magic when they take a life. I'm just curious about what we should expect from Ginny now."

Sirius freezes momentarily before faux confusion clouds his face, "What are you talking about Harry?"

Harry doesn't look away from his book, "I know what she did. It wasn't Wormtail that killed Voldemort, and Wormy wasn't killed by the backlash of some spell," Harry replies harshly, "I know what she did, and I know that you lied. You and Moony are covering for her," Harry says, now looking up at him.

"Moony?"

"She told him."

Sirius sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Harry, things aren't as black and white as you seem to thi-"

"What I _think,_ dear Uncle, is that you and Remus are covering for a murderer. You've no idea what that spell does to the one who casts it, and you've no real idea what it does to the victim either. Until you do you are in no position to pass judgement on me or give any kind of advice on what I should be thinking or feeling," Harry tells him, standing up as he speaks and moving closer to his Uncle.

"Aurors have yet to descend upon the Weasley household, which means you are covering for her as well," Sirius points out.

Harry's eyes narrow, "I'm trying to find a way to help her, to reverse the damage done to her magic. To her soul."

Sirius seems surprised, "Can that be done?" Harry looks downtrodden as he walks back to his books and settles in to keep researching.

"No," Harry replies, "No, it can't. But then again, no one can survive that curse either, yet here I am. The impossible happens all the time, I'm not giving up on her yet."

Sirius hesitates a moment, knowing he isn't quite welcome. Then he moves to sit near Harry and starts looking through the books as well.

He takes the fact that Harry doesn't tell him to sod off as a win.

* * *

Meanwhile, in Hogwarts, Ginny had decided to stay over the Christmas Holidays.

So did a certain blonde Slytherin.

"Good morning Weaslette."

Ginny looks up and raises an eyebrow, "Malfoy. What do you want?"

Draco gives a small smile and shakes his head, "Nothing. Not really. You're important to Harry, so I want you to not hate me anymore. Or, rather, I want to give you a reason not to anymore. I want to prove you don't have to."

"As adorably sweet as that is, you needn't bother. I don't think I'm all that important to Harry anymore, he hasn't spoken a word to me in weeks. In fact, he's been flat out ignoring me," Ginny replies miserably.

"You _are_ important to him, he's just dealing with some stuff with his Uncle right now. Was there something in particular you wanted to talk to him about?"

Ginny shrugs, "I don't know, I just feel off. Ever since Padfoot and I escaped…something's different. _Wrong_. I skipped out on family Christmas because I just can't stand acting like everything is okay when it's not. But the only person who ever seems to understand me, won't talk to me."

"I know how you feel. Well, sort of, but backwards. Ever since I helped Harry, anytime I think back on what things were like before I just feel…sort of a confused coldness. Like something just wasn't sitting right," Draco tells her, she nods, eyes widening as she realises that's exactly how she's feeling, "I don't think it's something Harry can help with. Not specifically anyway. I think you need to find a thing or a person that makes what's sitting wrong, click into place."

"Like Harry did for you?"

"Actually, it was Cedric. I saw him doing something stupid and somehow that ended with me doing something stupid and…things changed. Now I _keep_ doing stupid things."

"Like being _nice_?"

"Ah, so you've noticed the stupid things."

Ginny chuckles at Draco, then she smirks, "You know, you're all right, Malfoy."

Draco smiles slightly, "Not so bad yourself."

"For a Weasley, you mean?"

"No. For a person."

Ginny's smile is small, yet somehow her happiness is blinding.

If only she could have heard Draco's internal shouts of warning.

Luckily, a certain group of people diligently watching over those they care for hear him loud and clear.

* * *

Lily Potter crosses her arms as she looks at Regulus, "Something needs to be done."

"I'm all ears if you have a plan," Regulus replies, Lily narrows her eyes at him.

"You know, you're starting to sound like your brother."

"Must be all this time spent with you and your _delightful_ husband."

"If we don't find a way to stop Voldemort it's _your_ brother's neck on the line, not just my son. You wanted our help, fine, you've got it. Now find out what to do," Lily hisses at the younger Black brother, "Because I will _not_ sit around up here and watch him kill my kid."

With that, she turns and stalks off, leaving Regulus glaring as he watches the two seemingly ordinary kids chatting away happily.

"Well that was bloody helpful."

* * *

 **NOTE:**

Sorry this took so long. Within the space of two weeks my sister (Who I am extremely close to) moved out, my Grandpa died, we had a memorial, my Puppa ended up in hospital, and one of my dogs got put down.

However, now I'm back and with a clear direction for this story which, you know, is pretty helpful when attempting to write said story.

Sorry if this chapter is a bit choppy, I really just wanted to get it out. Oh and, kudos to anyone who noticed the Lost In Space reference :P


	7. Chapter 7

_**Disclaimer – I do not own Harry Potter**_

* * *

A book is dumped in front of Harry who startles as he jumps in his seat. He looks up to see Sirius standing before him.

"We were going about this all wrong," Sirius informs him, "Because you might have spent twelve years growing up and not knowing what happened, and I might have spent it in Azkaban, but someone else spent it having to live with the knowledge of everything that occurred. If you think for a moment he never looked into the possible effects that curse could have left on you, you're an idiot."

Harry frowns in confusion, Padfoot doesn't speak to him like this, "What's the book?"

Sirius shrugs, "More of a metaphor than anything. It's just a book with Remus' name on it. Take it and go ask for help, take notes, save your friend. You'll be needing her help sooner rather than later."

Harry seems even more confused, "What are you talking about Padfoot?" He demands, growing annoyed with the vagueness.

"Danger is coming, Potter. In fact, it's here. You need to know who you can trust, she could be one of them if you'll get your head out of your arse and let your Uncle be one of them too," Sirius replies, Harry gasps. Somehow, it's _less_ confusing when Sirius' face begins morphing into something similar but…not quite right.

"Who are you?!"

Not-Sirius sighs, "There is a war coming Potter. Watch closely, know who is on your side, don't try and fight it alone."

"TELL ME WHO YOU ARE!" Harry yells at the man.

"Someone who wants you to win."

Harry gasps as he wakes up, panting as he catches his breath from the strange dream.

After his heart rate slows once more, he shakes his head. _It was just a stupid dream,_ Harry tells himself. He nods as he moves to get up and head to the bathroom to splash his face with water, intent to put it all out of his mind. Only as he moves something falls off of the bed. Harry frowns, grabbing his glasses from his bedside table and using the light from the waxing gibbous moon to find the object that fell and examine it.

His breath catches in his throat as he recognises it.

A book. With Remus' name on it.

* * *

"DID YOU SERIOUSLY JUST TELL MY SON TO GET HIS HEAD OUT OF HIS ARSE?! MY _FIFTEEN-YEAR-OLD SON?!_ " Lily Potter screeches as Regulus exits the dream. James sighs at his wife slightly as he helps steady the very drained brother of his best friend/brother. He knows he can be rather…rash, sometimes. But if their Son is involved, it's Lily who struggles to keep a cool head.

"The important thing is, Harry got the message, right?" James asks.

Lily sighs, "Except that he's as bad as his brother, was extremely cryptic, and now Harry has no warning on the possession of the Malfoy kid, the Horcruxes, Peter being alive, nor does he know we're watching over him," She replies.

Jean Granger walks over, putting an arm around Lily's shoulders, "He knows that last one. He's always known that. Now, at the very least, he'll know he can trust Remus and he'll be able to help Ginny," She points out.

Lily sighs and nods, "You're right, I'm sorry Regulus. I know you did your best."

Regulus scoffs weakly, "Let's just hope it works. You can thank me when it's all over."

* * *

When school comes back and Harry walks off the train, he sees Draco and Ginny at the train station, presumably awaiting the arrival of the other students. Only the two seem…oddly close to each other. Harry feels a tap on his shoulder and looks over to see Lily. She's been strangely downtrodden since Harry found her on the Platform, he's rather concerned.

" **What is going on there?** " She asks, Harry frowns.

"Bloody good question that," He replies, both out loud and in sign.

"They seem rather cozy," Cedric says as he comes up beside the two, waving hello to Lily who smiles slightly in reply.

Harry sighs, "Somehow, I don't see that going well."

* * *

Later, after the feast, Harry heads to the HoM office, correctly assuming his Uncle will be there.

"Uncle Moony?" Harry asks, almost timidly. He knows he's been a bit of a brat, but he's scared. He's a kid, he's allowed to be scared, right? Only Draco had been right last year, he's not just any other kid, he's the chosen one. He doesn't get that luxury. He straightens his shoulders and walks into the office after his Uncle gestures him in.

"What can I do for you Harry?" Remus asks, surprised and glad that Harry has come to him, given how tense things have been lately.

"Curses, the really bad ones, they have an affect on the person who casts them, right?"

"Yes, why?"

Harry takes a steadying breath, "Is there a way to reverse it?"

Remus frowns, "That depends on the curse, the intent behind it, what the intended victim may have done in an attempt to survive, and, of course, whether or not the curse was successful." Harry lapses into thoughtful silence, but Remus is concerned, "What's this about Mini-Prongs?"

Harry opens his mouth to respond before he stops himself. He remembers how it is _he_ found out about what happened and goes to the door, checking around the corridor and the rest of the room to ensure they are truly alone. Remus watches this all with growing trepidation, more than curious as Harry stands before him again and, in a low voice, finally speaks.

"Ginny."


	8. Chapter 8

_**Disclaimer – I do not own Harry Potter**_

* * *

"What's this about, Mini-Prongs?" Remus asks in concern.

Harry checks around the room and out of the door before he comes back, "Ginny," Harry replies, quiet and terse.

Remus' eyes widen, "I've no idea what you're talking about, Harry."

"You really are the worst liar in history, you know that, right?" Remus sighs, "I had a dream the other night. A dream that, in some part, became reality. I'm hoping there was another bit of reality in it as well, and that you can help me save her."

Remus seems confused, "What dream?"

Harry shakes his head, "That's not important, not now. Ginny cast the killing curse and it changed her. It had to have. Help me fix it, Uncle, please."

Remus seems oddly hesitant, and when he opens his mouth it's not what Harry expects, "You are just like your mother. She refused to give up on people too." The words remind Harry of a certain memory he'd regained last term, he puts it out of his mind, "All right, I'll help you. But Harry, the first thing you need to know is, curses aren't the only magic that have an effect on the caster."

Harry frowns in confusion, "What do you mean?"

Remus sighs, pinching his nose, "All magic changes a person when used, changes who they are, changes their soul. All of it."

"…oh."

"There are two sorts of magic, Harry. Primal magic, and wizarding magic. Primal magic belongs to magical creatures. Centaurs, unicorns, vampires, Werewolves, the lot. It belongs to the creatures created from it." Harry's eyes widen, Remus chuckles humourlessly, "No magic is natural, Harry. Or Muggles wouldn't exist. There is no record of how, it happened far too long ago. But legend has it that in a forest, man came across a wounded horse and in attempting to save it, they boosted the power of it's soul until it was the most pure thing in existence. This created the unicorn. Man then experimented, in the forest, in the air, in the water. And from it came spiders of impossible size, birds of fire and life, and demons of the lake. More time went and soon came flying horses, giant snakes, and then, merpeople. Once man had introduced itself to these things, there were centaurs, there were vampires, and there were Werewolves. But man didn't want the changed, man only wanted power. And so they took it, they created wizards. But humans are not meant to have such power, and it began to destroy them. They did all they could, but as generations passed, the effects became pronounced. Memories were lost, sickness grew, and death was never without company. It is not bad curses that destroy people, Harry, it is the strength of magic they use. We have cures for all sorts of illnesses, and that is why we survive, but the things we do not know we have lost we cannot hope to recover. Or we couldn't, not until you came."

Harry's eyes widen, unable to comprehend what he is hearing, "What do I have to do with it?"

Remus smiles gently, "Some people, Harry, they fight off the…disease, the magic. You were one of those people."

"…I'm a squib?" Harry asks, voice filled with confusion.

"You were. Until the curse came. It should have killed you, but your mother's magic protected you. Only it did more than that. See I don't think you survived that curse Harry, I think your mother's love and sacrifice brought you back to life. And when it did, _you_ changed, Harry. Oh Harry, your memory, so impossible. You have survived things no man could because you are stronger and better. You are whole where so many are fractured. Ginny is no more changed than any of us, Harry. But you? You are not just The Boy Who Lived, Prongslet. You are The Boy Who Was Saved."

Harry blinks at his Uncle for a few moments, then shakes his head, "Nope, I'm out." He walks out of the room, leaving a spluttering Uncle behind him.

* * *

Harry avoids his friends for the rest of that night and ditches his lessons the next day. Except the last one, because he's not incurring the wrath of Snape just because he's feeling sorry for himself. After potions though, Harry waves his friends on as everyone leaves the room. Because he's done a lot of thinking and his mother deserves a lot more than her friend ever gave her. He remains in his seat until his Professor turns around and notices him.

"Potter, I realise you aren't the brightest student around, but surely even _you_ can understand what 'class dismissed' means," Snape drawls impatiently.

Harry taps his fingers against his desk for a moment before stilling them, "I heard what you said."

"Then get out."

"No, not then."

Severus frowns, "What the devil are you talking about?"

"'You Potters were always going to be the death of her'," Harry quotes.

Snape pales, "That's impossible."

"Impossible is not a fact, Sir. It's a matter of opinion." Snape glares at him, Harry gets up, walking around his desk and leaning back on it, "Do you want to know what _is_ fact, _Sir_? I watched you find the woman you loved dead, and I watched you mourn her," Harry tells him simply, Snape's glare deepens into a full scowl, "There are two kinds of love, selfish and unselfish."

"Let me guess," Snape drawls sarcastically, "Mine was selfish and your _Saint_ of a Father was entirely not?"

Harry shakes his head, "No, from what I hear, they were both the selfish kind. You both wanted her for yourselves but you never cared about whether or not she was happy there. In fact, I don't think my Dad's became unselfish love until the moment Voldemort turned up and she and I were in danger. He gave his life to protect her, Professor. Surely you cannot hate him for that?" Snape doesn't answer, "No, the unselfish love in this was not either of you, it was her. It was her love for me. Love that drove her to lose her life for me. Her final act was to give her life in an attempt to save mine, and you have spent _years_ trying to tear me down. You say you love her? What would _she_ think of your actions against the person she loved more than anything?"

"You have no idea what you're tal-"

"She'd be disgusted and we both know it," Harry snaps, Snape jerks back slightly, shocked. Harry shakes his head, "You defile her final act and as such defile her memory. It's selfish love, Sir. You want her for yourself and you have no regard for what _she_ would have wanted. My Dad did not get her killed. He gave up his life to try and stop that. And maybe I'm the reason he was after us, but even if it hadn't been me, even if it were someone else's random baby, she still would have given her life because that's the sort of person she was, the sort of person she'd want _you_ to be. So stop dragging her memory through the mud and taking your grief out on me." Harry grabs his bag and packs his stuff away in it calmly before walking to the door.

"I don't know what else to do," He hears Snape say quietly.

Harry hesitates at the door, turning around again, "You aren't the only person who lost her, Professor. I rather think she'd want us to stick together."

Snape nods, slowly and silently. Harry returns it, then walks out of the classroom.

* * *

Harry goes to his Uncle again, finding him this time in the library looking through the shelves.

"All right, Uncle. Say I believe you. What is it I am supposed to do?"

Remus looks at him, a smile on his face, "You aren't supposed to do anything, Harry. Just live the life granted to you and live it well."

But Harry can't just live it well. He was brought back when so many were not. He has to make it worth it, somehow.

But how?

* * *

 **NOTE:**

I'm not making Snape a good guy in this. He's a prat. So don't expect a big turn around or anything, at most he and Harry will find some sort of truce.

Anyways, sorry about the big break, but I've got the last chapter of this written, I know the ending, and a few other bits and pieces, I just have to finish the gaps. So this'll be back to the old erratic updating.

Enjoy!

Also, sorry I got possibly a little _too_ creative in there…well, now Harry's even more special.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Disclaimer – I do not own Harry Potter**_

* * *

"Ginny!" Harry calls, coming down the stairs from his dorm to the common room one morning. It's two weeks into term and Harry has decided it's time to stop running.

She's rather shocked, given how he's been lately, "Harry," Ginny replies with a hesitant smile.

"I'm sorry I've been avoiding you," Harry tells her, "I was freaking out about something and I pushed everyone away and I'm sorry."

Ginny looks relieved, smiling genuinely, "Don't worry about it. Just quit being and idiot when something is going wrong, yeah?"

Harry nods sheepishly, "Breakfast?" He asks, holding out an arm.

She hesitates for a moment before grinning and linking arms with him, "Yeah, breakfast sounds good."

* * *

Ginny and Harry are making their way to the Great Hall when Ginny turns to look at him, "Did Lily tell you that she and Luna broke up?"

Harry looks at her in surprise, "No, what happened?"

"Luna said their wrackspurts disagree. I don't know what that means but, Lily seemed to understand," Ginny explains.

Harry frowns, "Sounds like she's saying they just aren't right for each other."

Ginny nods her agreement, "My thoughts exactly." Ginny hesitates for a moment, "Do you want to tell me what's been going on the last few weeks?"

Harry sighs, "I overheard your conversation with Uncle Moony," He replies, her eyes widen. She doesn't pretend to misunderstand, "Y-You killed two people and I remember what it feels like to be hit with that spell and I just…panicked."

Ginny bites her lip for a moment before she shakes her head, "I didn't kill two people, Harry." Harry frowns. Ginny looks around, finding them alone and pulling Harry to the wall, "Wormtail's alive."

Harry's eyes widen, "What?"

"Padfoot let him live. Sent him off to run away, said we'd cover for him. We were gone before the house went up in flames, Pettigrew set the fire to cover what happened. The only person I killed was Voldemort. Well, as much as one can be killed when one has an unknown amount of, though likely seven, horcruxes yet to be destroyed. Well, six, I suppose, since the diary was destroyed."

Harry smiles brightly, throwing his arms around his friend who gladly hugs him back, "I'm sorry I was so afraid."

Ginny shakes her head, "You had every right to be. Thanks for not, you know, turning me in. I know that can't have been an easy decision for you."

Harry sighs, shrugging, clearly not wanting to talk about that part, "So speaking of relationships, what's going on with you and Draco?"

Ginny flushes as they continue on towards the Great Hall, "Over the holidays we…got closer. We're um, we're dating."

Harry's eyes widen, not having realised how serious it is between them. Harry remembers seeing the both of them by his side in the mirror and fights back the disappointment, trying to just be glad they are happy, "I'm happy for you, Gin. You deserve it."

Ginny smiles brightly at him, Harry ignores the way it makes his heart clench.

* * *

As the two reach the doors to the Hall, Draco calls out to them and jogs to catch up. He smiles at Ginny who smiles back, Harry withholds the sigh. Then he frowns, taking a breath and realising there's something he has to do, "Draco, can I talk to you alone for a moment?"

Draco raises an eyebrow, Ginny looking nervous before she kisses Draco on the cheek and goes to the Gryffindor Table.

"Is everything okay?"

Harry sighs, "Yes, fine. I just wanted to thank you. I know I've been a bit unpredictable lately but-"

"Don't worry about it Harry, what are friends for, right?" Draco asks.

Harry frowns, nodding slowly, "Riiight. Anyway, I also just wanted to say…this thing, with you and Ginny. Don't hurt her," Harry says, Draco nods, looking at him seemingly calmly. But something is very wrong and Harry gasps as he looks Draco in the eyes. He's seen that look before, the icy hatred of the truly evil, of one who sees no love in the world, of one only capable of feeling pain and contempt. He's seen that look before.

" _Not Harry! Not Harry! Please – I'll do anything –"_

" _Stand aside – stand aside, girl –"_

Harry blinks away the memory as his gaze hardens on Draco, his scar throbbing as whatever had blocked it before gives way. Quick as a flash, unseen by the rest of the hall, Harry draws his wand and points it at the boy before him.

"Harry?" Draco asks, looking alarmed.

Harry's eyes remain steely and focused, "You never forget the eyes that cursed you, and I have never forgotten yours, _Tom_."

Draco's face remains confused before it falls away into a sneer, "Well well, Mr Potter. You've impressed me. Now what do you plan to do?"

Harry raises an eyebrow, "Turn you over to Dumbledore, of course."

"You won't."

"And why not?"

Voldemort rolls Draco's eyes, Harry wonders if perhaps the teenaged hormones of the body he possesses affects him as well, then pushes the ridiculous and irrelevant thought from his mind, "Because if you do, they will send me to Azkaban, and young Mr Malfoy along with me."

Harry seems almost amused, "Tom, you've been watching for a while now, tell me. Do you _really_ think I'm going to let you remain galivanting around the castle, in my friend's body, and just say nothing?"

"You would send your own friend to Azkaban?"

"Better that than the entire wizarding world being destroyed."

"He wouldn't want you to," Voldemort tells him, "He's not like you, he's a Slytherin. Slytherins don't do self-sacrifice."

Harry smiles sadly, "I don't particularly care. He's not more important than the rest of the world, no more than I am. No one person is, even if I wish it weren't so." Voldemort holds his gaze, looking for some sign of a bluff, "HEADMAS-" Harry hasn't even yelled the whole word before smoke suddenly erupts from Draco's mouth, rather violently, and fiercely swooshed out of the windows.

"You'll pay for this with your life, Harry, and the lives of everyone you care for," Voldemort promises, his voice in the wind, before it's all gone.

"…what just happened?" Remus asks, the whole room looking alarmed.

"Tom," Ginny breathes in disbelief, fearful eyes meeting Remus' concerned ones. Draco collapses to his knees, Harry drops with him.

"Ginny!" Draco calls, weakly but desperately.

Ginny rushes over, "Draco," She says, cupping his face with one hand.

He grabs her hand, "I tried so hard to tell you," He promises, a tear slips down his face.

Ginny smiles slightly, hesitantly, questioning who it is she's fallen in love with over the past few weeks, "I, more than anyone, understand."

"He let me speak, sometimes. Often, actually, even if it wasn't quite free but…" Draco trails off for a moment, squeezing her hand, "It really was me by the lake, and at the station, and the kitchens. It wasn't all him."

Ginny rests her forehead against his, "I'm not going anywhere, Love," she tells him, voice full of relief.

"Mr Malfoy, Mr Potter, Miss Weasley, if you three would not mind accompanying Madam Pomfrey and I to the hospital? I think a check up is in order," Dumbledore tells the three, standing right behind them with the matron.

Harry sighs, _this is going to be a long and largely false explanation._

"Of course, Headmaster."

* * *

In an alcove, far into Knockturn Alley, Peter Pettigrew stands with a bag full of objects his former Master would really rather he didn't have. But Peter doesn't care. He's done hiding and being afraid. His life is over anyway, he has nothing left to lose. The least he can do is try to protect the nephew he once was so willing to sacrifice. Then black smoke comes from the sky and he feels like he's suffocating until suddenly, he's in an inky blackness deep within his mind. Then he hears it, out of the blackness. Manic laughter he had hoped he would never hear again and the smiling face of the Dark Lord appears.

"Hello Wormtail, we meet again."

* * *

 **NOTE:**

Sorry this is so late! It's the end of term and things are rather hectic trying to finish off assignments and stuff.

Anyways, to anyone who did not understand, Peter's just been possessed like Draco had been.

Hope everyone enjoyed!


	10. Chapter 10

_**Disclaimer – I do not own Harry Potter**_

* * *

Draco, Harry, Ginny, Remus, McGonagall, Snape, Dumbledore, and Lucius Malfoy sit in the infirmary in an awkward silence once Madam Pomfrey has looked Draco over and declared him healthy.

"So…what happened?" Remus asks when no one speaks. Draco still seems quite shaken where he lays in his bed, Ginny in a chair beside him and clutching his hand. Harry is on the other side, beside Lucius, elbows on his knees and face in his hands.

"Perhaps you had better start us off, Mr Potter, on what exactly happened this morning?" Snape drawls.

Harry looks up, nodding wearily, "Well, Draco and I were talking, I realised he was possessed, Voldemort and I argued for a moment, and then as I called to the Headmaster, he left and threatened everyone I care about," Harry sums up.

"How did you know?" Dumbledore questions.

"The look in his eyes when I mentioned Ginny is the same look he had when he told my mother to stand aside and allow him to kill me." Everyone looks to Harry in shock, Harry just drops his head back into his hands, too drained to bother holding it up.

"Oh Prongslet," Remus comments quietly, Harry ignores it.

"What did you and he argue about?" Dumbledore continues, Harry stiffens.

"He was wrong," Draco suddenly says, everyone, including Harry, looks over in confusion, "When he said I wouldn't want you too. You made the right decision."

Harry nods slowly, though it does not help ease his mind. He had, after all, nearly sent one of his best mates to Azkaban a mere half hour prior. Everyone continues looking at Harry expectantly, but he does not elaborate.

"Draco? How did-or when…" Lucius trails off, seeming mildly ruffled which, for him, is all but hysterical.

"During the holidays." Everyone seems to relax mildly, Draco sighs, "The summer holidays." Eyes widen, Ginny gasps, Harry folds into himself even more.

"Should have bloody known," Harry mutters.

"How could you have?" Ginny asks. It's a rhetorical question, one only meant to relieve guilt, but he has an answer.

"My scar tingled slightly when I saw fake Mad-Eye last year and he wasn't even possessed, he'd just spent a lot of time around Voldemort," Harry begins harshly, half the room flinches at the name, "Yet when I feel it hurt while with Draco I ignore it completely."

Draco looks over in confusion, "He used an aura of my own magic to disguise his presence. It was fading sure but, when could you have possibly felt it?" He asks, raising more questions in those around him.

"That day in the Forbidden Forest. Where we were is where he killed that Unicorn four years ago. I can always feel him there, feel what he did, anyway. But when you arrived it got so much more intense and I didn't even think."

"Have you somehow failed to learn what the word 'forbidden' means?" Minerva asks, Harry huffs at her. They've had a more relaxed dynamic since she helped get him ready for the first task of the Tri-wizard Tournament.

"Harry, you were in the middle of a very intense panic attack at the time," Draco reminds him, Harry just drops his head again, Draco sighs, "He's trying to get into your head to mess with you, Harry. Don't let him."

The door opens as Mad-Eye limps in loudly.

"We lost the trail," He announces without prompting. Remus stands, giving Mad-Eye his seat. Mad-Eye nods gratefully at him.

"He's rather good at masking it," Ginny tells him, "There's a book in the restricted section that explains various different methods of concealment in such situations. He blended a few together during his fifth year."

Moody nods his understanding, ignoring the surprised looks on others faces, "Glad to see you're staying out of trouble, Gin," He tells her sarcastically, she rolls her eyes at him. Months together in the bottom of a trunk got each other quite used to the other's humour, "Now, fill me in," He requests of all those present, they do so.

* * *

"…and now we've no idea where he's gone," Remus concludes.

Alastor is quiet for a moment, "Gin learnt a lot about him while possessed, is it possible you know something, Mr Malfoy, that would help us in our search?"

Draco looks down for a moment, clearly unsure what to say. Then he nods, looking first at Ginny, then Harry, then Remus, then Dumbledore, and finally Moody. He nods again, "I know his plan. He knows I know it, so he won't wait much longer." Everyone remains quiet as he takes a deep breath, "Without a body he'll have to possess another, and there's only one left he'd use." Draco winces slightly, looking awkwardly to Ginny again before once more looking back to Moody, "Peter Pettigrew."

"Peter's dead," Remus replies tersely. Draco's eyes flick back to Ginny.

She grimaces, "Erm…Padfoot and I may have…over exaggerated the level of deadness that Wormtail is," Ginny says carefully, all eyes but Harry's and Draco's lock onto hers accusingly.

Remus notices this and looks at Harry, "You knew about this?!" He asks incredulously, Harry sighs, nodding and still seeming far too weary for his young age.

"We can deal with Pettigrew later, the immediate problem is the Dark Lord," Severus tells them all.

"I think the immediate problem is a little closer to home than that," Harry mutters, everyone looks over to him as Harry looks to Lucius, raising an eyebrow. It clicks in everyone's head that he's questioning where exactly Lucius stands on this, and everyone rather suddenly remembers who he supported in the last war.

"That bag of dicks possessed my son, Potter. I'm not going to be standing in your way," Lucius replies shortly.

Harry looks him over for a moment, then nods, "Right then, Draco, what's his plan?"

"There's a press conference in three days. The Minister is announcing the annulment of the current Werewolf legislation and the opening of Sirius' new sanctuary," Draco tells them all, they nod, all having been aware of it, "He plans to assassinate the Minister, call all his Death Eaters to him, and take over the Ministry while the wards are up to keep crashers out of the conference. No one can get in to help, and we can't get in to stop him."

Everyone goes quiet as they think that through, then Harry smirks, "I can get in. I'm sure Fudge would love to have me show my support on what will no doubt be a controversial topic." Everyone looks at him in surprise, he shrugs, "If I'm going to be stuck being The Boy Who Lived for the rest of my life, I might as well use it to my advantage."

"Sometimes I am reminded of why it is a very good thing you're on our side," Remus comments, Harry shrugs again.

"Even if you get in, how are you going to take down the wards?" Lucius asks.

"I'll bring a guest," Harry explains.

"It will have to be someone who can blend into the background. Someone no one will notice the disappearance off once they wander off to do so," Severus says.

"Not to mention someone _able_ to take down the wards," Ginny adds.

Harry seems thoughtful, then nods, "I bet Hermione could do it, couldn't you?" Everyone looks in the direction Harry is looking, but they see nothing. Then a bit of the wall and floor seems to ripple before the invisibility cloak is pulled off revealing Ron and Hermione.

"How, in Merlin's name, did you know we were there?" Hermione asks.

Harry chuckles, "I would have been. You two are picking up bad habits."

"Can you do it, Miss Granger?" Dumbledore asks, completely bypassing the topic of their eavesdropping.

Hermione bites her lip, thinking it over. Then she nods, "Yes, but it could take up to ten minutes," She tells them.

"If he arrives before then I'll keep him busy until you can get the wards down," Harry tells her.

"I don't like this, Harry," Draco tells him.

"Sirius will be there to provide back up, will he not? It is his sanctuary, after all," McGonagall questions.

Remus shakes his head, "Sirius isn't fond of the Ministry. The Wizarding World in general, really. Save for his Sanctuary, Sirius has decided to stay out of it. He's settling down in the Muggle World. Hugo's going to help him get a job once the Sanctuary is set up enough to be run by someone he hires."

"That will only lend credence to Mr Potter's presence. Watching over the project for his God-Father," Lucius tells them, all nod.

"This plan, it's all we've got. We have three days to prepare it, there's no time to come up with another unless someone has an idea right now?" Harry asks, no one responds. Harry nods, "Then it goes ahead as stated. I'll write to the Minister requesting I be allowed to attend the Conference on behalf of my God-Father, Hermione will attend with me. She'll sneak off and take down the wards, at which point you will all arrive to take him down. We have to keep the Minister alive or the Wizarding World will be in uproar and someone will take advantage of that."

"Then in the meantime, Gin, would you show me that book? In case this doesn't go our way, I reckon we ought to know how to track him," Moody requests, Ginny nods.

"I still don't like this," Draco says.

"Nor do I," Remus adds.

"What if you can't keep him distracted? What if he just kills you?" Draco asks, brows furrowed in concern.

Harry sighs, "If we do nothing and he takes over he will kill me anyway. If those are my options then I'd rather die trying to help than die hiding away in fear." Harry looks to Remus who hesitates, then nods. Harry turns to Draco who looks at him fearfully before he nods as well.

"Well then," Dumbledore comments lightly, "It would appear we have three days."

* * *

 **NOTE:**

I know it's a bit out of character for Lucius to call someone a bag of dicks, but I really wanted him to call Voldemort a bag of dicks, so he did.

Sorry about that.

And that this chapter in literally just a conversation. Tomorrow's will have action and is already written!


	11. Chapter 11

_**Disclaimer – I do not own Harry Potter**_

* * *

Three days later, Harry and Hermione arrive by floo into the Ministry atrium, dressed in clothes that were a gift from Padfoot (in other words, ridiculously fancy that they both denied ever having a use for. He was rather smug that they had, though they neglected to tell him what, exactly, they are attending the conference for.) Hermione's arm links with Harry's as they move forth to greet the Minister, the conference not set to start for another few minutes. Both know they cannot begin until that starts and as such must play the part.

"Ah, Harry, wonderful to see you again," Fudge greets. Naturally clasping Harry's hand in direct view of the cameras.

Harry smiles charmingly, "And you, Minister. I'm honoured to be here."

"Mr Potter!" various members of the press begin calling, Harry hones in on one voice in particular. He meets the eyes of Rita Skeeter who seems smug at the recognition until she sees and remembers Hermione.

"Miss Skeeter, long time no see," Harry comments lightly.

Rita swallows nervously, "Likewise, Mr Potter. Tell me, how do you feel about the Ministry's new stance on Werewolves?"

Harry smiles, "I'm glad for it. The Ministry is taking an important step into helping protect those who need it."

"Excuse me, Mr Potter. But how are we being protected if the restrictions on these monsters are being lifted?" A journalist that Harry doesn't recognise asks.

Harry's expression becomes significantly less friendly, "I didn't mean us. The Werewolves are the people who have been persecuted without reason, forced to live in fear and poverty. They deserve help and the Ministry has my full support in doing so," he replies calmly.

Fudge soon calls attention to himself by announcing the beginning of the conference. Harry surreptitiously nods at Hermione who nods back before slipping away from the crowd.

"Today the Ministry takes the Wizarding World along on a new path, a path in which we accept all people rather than fear what we do not understand," Fudge begins, "For some months, Lord Sirius Black has been undertaking the founding of a new organization, The Moony Sanctuary. The Sanctuary will be a place Werewolves can go during the full moon, somewhere they will be protected and contained without being forced into a cage. It will also be a place where Werewolves, members of their family, and interested members of the public can go to learn more about Lycanthropy in order to better understand. There will be housing open to all non-humans who have been put into a position in which they lack a place to live until they can get back on their feet," He continues. Harry thinks its impressive how he doesn't even blink because of the flashes. He wonders how Hermione is going, "To show our support of the Sanctuary, the old laws on Werewolves are, as of this moment, voided. A new law put in place that prevents employers from firing or refusing a worker for the sole reason of their species. In time, it is my hope that we can all learn to live together in harmony with all species. I will now take questions."

Harry sends Fudge a nod and a pleased smile when the Minister looks his way. Harry sees something scurrying in the edge of his peripheral vision. He looks over quickly and sees the tail of a rat before it sounds a corner, coming back moments later in the form of Peter Pettigrew, disguised with a suit. Harry looks away quickly but begins slowly making his way towards the Minister.

Fudge stands, unaware, as he answers the questions posed to him. Unaware, that is, until he sees Harry heading towards him. He tries to appear outwardly calm, though he is now beginning to suspect Harry had an ulterior motive for attending this conference. Harry keeps an eye on Voldemort who locks eyes with Harry. Seeing his window closing, Voldemort rushes over, wand drawn. Harry runs and leaps to be between the Minister and the devil in carnate.

"You'll have to kill me, Tom," Harry tells Voldemort strongly, staring into the eyes of what was once his Uncle Wormy, now a mere vessel for evil. Harry refuses to step aside.

"So be it," Voldemort replies with a snarl, "AVADA KEDAVRA!"

"NO!" Remus screams. Hermione runs into the room, successfully having brought down the wards, and sees Harry on the ground. She, Remus, and the rest of the Order reach him at the same time. Remus kneels beside him, hand on his cold, dead face, "Prongslet?" He asks quietly.

The room is silent, all know.

The Boy Who Lived is dead.

* * *

Harry blinks awake, vision blurry but clearing by the second.

"Hello Harry," Someone says, Harrys sees red-hair and thinks it must be Ginny. But his eyes come into focus, only to blur again from tears as he recognises the person in front of him.

"Mum," He says breathlessly. He turns his head to the side, "Dad," he says with a smile. His parents smile back, hugging him, "I never forgot you," He tells them.

"We know, Sweetheart," Lily tells her Son.

"We never forgot you, either," James adds. Harry smiles, snuggled between his parents.

He's safe, for once, and he's home.

* * *

It's four am that Sirius is woken by the floo going off repeatedly and sounds of apparating. He heads downstairs to find the old Order of the Phoenix, surviving members anyway, along with Tonks and Lucius. Moments later Dumbledore appears with the Weasleys, all of them, Snape, Draco, Cedric, and Lily.

"What's going on?" Sirius asks.

Remus limps forward, something laying slumped in his arms. Remus kneels, the body leaning limply against him.

Sirius shakes his head, "N-No, no dammit, NO!" Sirius screams, dropping to his knees beside them. Sirius grabs Harry's shirt, shaking him a bit before he drops his head onto his God-Son's chest, sobbing and screaming. Remus tries to keep it together, but tears still run freely down his face as they do down many others.

"There was a battle, Sirius. Fudge is dead, Hermione's been arrested…Voldemort won." Sirius looks up slowly, rage etched onto his face.

"Then now he will lose. He will lose _everything_."

* * *

 **NOTE:**

And that's a wrap folks!

Sorry those last few chapters were rushed, I got excited.

Anyways, hope everyone enjoyed this! And thanks for everyone's support.


	12. NOTE - New story!

**NOTE:**

Okay so, I started writing a third story, hated it, deleted it, got some backlash on the current terrible ending of the series, and am now going to continue the third story.

It can be found here:

s/13132362/1/More-Than-Just-A-Memory


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